


An Eye for An Eye

by Telaryn



Category: Leverage
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Revenge, Sacrifice, Vendettas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-18
Updated: 2012-09-18
Packaged: 2017-11-14 13:43:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/515802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Telaryn/pseuds/Telaryn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A well placed sniper bullet brings it all crashing down around them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Eye for An Eye

**Author's Note:**

> For [](http://badfalcon.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://badfalcon.livejournal.com/)**badfalcon** as thanks for her participation in the 2011 Leverage Exchange.

If you’re very lucky, an appropriate target for your fury exists, and you can take satisfaction from some Old Testament “eye for an eye” justice.

Nate hadn’t had an appropriate focus for his rage when Sam died. Scream at God for the evil he’s done, and people call you mad. Your wife and friends leave you, and you end up fired from your job and living out of your car.

Now he had an outlet – somebody who was clearly guilty and who could be made to pay for what they’d done. Nate checked his own weapon thoroughly, making sure everything was in working order, and it was fully loaded. Then he moved onto the guns he’d leveraged out of a contact in the Donnelly family, checking each one in turn before fitting them into the holsters under each arm. The leather of the shoulder rig was stiff across his back, and the oily scent of new material tickled the inside of his nose.

“You can’t do this.”

He glanced up at Sophie – she was standing across the counter from him, arms folded across her chest and her expression furious. “It’s suicide, Nate,” she went on, her stance softening slightly when she met his eyes. “He wouldn’t want this.”

_…blood…in his hair, his eyes, splashed across his skin…body broken, collapsing against him…watching the light go out of his eyes…god…_

Nate looked past Sophie to where Hardison was furiously tapping away on his laptop. “How close?”

The hacker didn’t even look up from his screen. Nate could see the tension screaming across every line of his body and knew Hardison was barely holding it together. “I need more time – you’re asking for the impossible here.” Nate stashed his own gun in a paddle holster at the small of his back, and slipped on the coat he’d chosen to cover everything.

“Call me when it’s done.” Meeting Sophie’s eyes again, Nate deliberately removed his com and set it on the counter between them.

“Bastard,” she spat, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.

“They’re your responsibility now,” Nate said, willing her to understand. “You have to keep them safe. Don’t be…” His voice broke, and he ducked his head until he was sure of his control again. “Don’t be me,” he finished when he could face her once more.

“He. Wouldn’t. Want. This.” Sophie’s voice was trembling, and Nate marveled at the amount of will it was taking for her to keep from completely falling apart. “Nate, please. Don’t do this. We need you too.”

 _…don’t leave me…I need you…please…_ Words of the love he was leaving overlaid the words he’d spoken to the love stolen away, and Nate felt his resolve start to waver. _Not your fault, boss._

Except…

Except Eliot Spencer had never spoken those words of absolution – the words that might have kept Nate here, kept him safe and whole and able to think about something beyond his vengeance. “I can still feel his blood, Sophie,” Nate said finally. “All over my skin – I’ve scrubbed myself raw, and I can still feel it.” Tears spilled silently down her cheeks, but all the talent at her disposal couldn’t undo what had happened. Those scars, the true horror and depth of that loss, were his alone to bear.

And to avenge.

“I can’t just let it go,” he went on. “I can’t walk away and pretend that he didn’t die in my arms, and that it _didn’t fucking matter_.” His hands were shaking now, and Nate clenched them into tight fists. “Somebody has to pay for taking him away from…us.” He’d almost said _me_ , but saying it out loud would have meant the end of everything.

Hardison had come up beside Sophie – a sheaf of papers in one hand. “Got it,” he said. “It’s done. When you finish doing this, you…”

Nate cut him off with a small shake of the head. “Neither of you worry about me. You get Parker and you go as deep underground as you can – preferably some place far away from here.” His thoughts turned to his thief – in the hospital, wounded by the same sniper fire Eliot had died saving Nate from. “When you tell Parker what happened, tell her…” He drew a deep steadying breath, keeping his emotions firmly at bay. “Tell her I’m sorry.”

He was beyond grief, beyond regret now. There was only the rage left, and a debt to be collected on. Once that was done, he would find his peace.


End file.
